Manchester United interested in long term target – report

With 34 days to go in the transfer market Manchester United fans won’t have to suffer for too much longer. Decisions and signings will be made imminently as Louis van Gaal makes final preparations for the new season.

One player who is reportedly back on the radar at Manchester United is Douglas Costa of Shaktar Donetsk. Reports today suggest that United may be keen.

Costa, who wants to leave Donetsk due to the political unrest in the Ukraine, is also attracting interest from Manchester United.

We will say from the outset that we think a move to Manchester United is highly unlikely for the Brazilian.

It is very clear from the first three games of preseason that Manchester United will be playing a 5-3-2 formation. So where would Costa fit in? With wing backs now filling the wide areas, Costa would have to play in the number ten role or up top.

LvG has already talked about the abundance of number tens at the club so the only place left for Costa would be in the striking positions.

With Chicharito potentially leaving Manchester United may well look for another striker but we don’t think that their search will extend to Costa. More likely they will go for a specialist striker or a Robbenesque forward who can play out wide but is just a devastating through the middle. Memphis Depay anyone?

So let’s bin this idea at the risk of getting egg on our faces. Arsenal will probably have a clear route to Costa if Manchester United are the only other team being linked.

But let’s see him in action. Manchester United fans: Is there an obvious place for such a player in the team?